Just in time for Spring, the Garden State, designates third week of March as “Horticultural Therapy Week”, inaugurated in Ceremonial Senate Resolution on Monday March 14th.

New Jersey is the first in the nation to formally designate this week, initially established by Congress in 2006, to celebrate the endless benefits of connecting people and plants in vocational, social and therapeutic programs in a peaceful non-threatening environment using horticulture modality to improve the quality of life. During 2014-2015 legislative session, SJR12 (Bateman-Vitale), AJR13 (Simon-Vanieri-Huttle) passed in Full Senate and Full Assembly and was signed by Governor Christie on May 11, 2015. Display of the American Horticultural Therapy Association, 501(c3) will be featured at the Statehouse March 21 to 24th.

“Horticultural Therapy is a time-proven practice. Designating a week each year to raise awareness of Horticultural Therapy in the Garden State, first in the nation, will hopefully expand opportunities for more people to take advantage of the many benefits it offers,” said Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman, R-16 Somerset, Hunterdon, Mercer and Middlesex.

New Jersey Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency, Paul Hlubik said, “As a farmer and as the spouse of a horticulturalist, I recognize firsthand the healing powers of working with one’s hands in the soil and with plant life. As a public advocate for every segment of New Jersey agriculture through my work with growers and my colleagues in DC, I commend such awareness and unyielding support of the Horticultural industry here in the Garden State.”

“Growing a garden and working with plants provides many benefits to people, such as physical activity, concentration, and a sense of accomplishment,” said New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher. “All people benefit from learning how to work the land and how hard work pays off in the form of beautiful flowers, decorative landscapes and food to eat.”